When the post-COVID data showed that only 33% of third-grade students in New Mexico were reading at grade level, we knew we needed to join forces with local leaders to find real solutions that help students succeed. Together with a community coalition, we launched the Hobbs Campaign for Grade-Level Reading to inspire our community and make lasting change. This year, we are seeing what’s possible when schools, families, and community partners work together to not only improve reading rates but also lower chronic student absenteeism. The latest reading data indicated that reading proficiency increased from 34% to 45%, while chronic absenteeism decreased from 44% to 23%. While these numbers should be celebrated, the most staggering transformation came in the kindergarten readiness category. Data showed that only 9% of young learners were ready to begin their elementary school journeys, with updated numbers now showing that 23% of students are ready for kindergarten. Additionally, studies have shown that children who are read to at least three times a week are nearly twice as likely to rank in the top 25% for reading proficiency.
Making reading fun is just one of the ways the Hobbs Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is helping to improve reading levels. This year, we participated in Read Across Lea County, an initiative in partnership with United Way of Lea County, the Lea County government, Chevron, the Hobbs Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, and the JF Maddox Foundation.
Bringing together over 130 volunteers, Read Across Lea County highlighted the powerful movement to help improve childhood literacy rates. Volunteers read to over 1,000 first-grade students in Jal, Tatum, Lovington, Eunice, and Hobbs, modeling the joy of reading and helping to instill a love of books. Using tactics to engage youth, some volunteers dressed up like favorite book characters while others attended assemblies or led classroom storytime sessions. The initiative brought attention to the importance of reading and reflected a shared commitment across the community to helping children build strong reading habits.
By uniting our partners and volunteers, Read Across Lea County helps to strengthen our community’s commitment to childhood literacy and learning. Working together, we are helping children develop abilities that will shape their futures and gain important skills that will guide them well into adulthood.
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